Just a note and an update to all those who gave some great advice on hiking the White Tanks.......

I've taken all your advice, except one.

I wear my knife on my belt, keep my key ( only take the car key when going) on my person, have the whistle around my neck (but under the shirt) have a flashlight, walkin stick and water. Cell phone is always charged. Besides, it takes great pics........

Have graduated from the easy trails, to the few difficult ones. Have not actually completed one of those yet, but have gained the confidence that I will eventually.

What have I learned?

1) Late afternoon hikes not such a good idea. While beautiful, its kinda scary coming back to the car after sunset, and watching 4 dirtbags in a crappy beat up car pass the parking, screech to a stop, and back up slowly and parking next to you.....even tho ther are plenty of unoccumpied spaces available. I figured maybe they just wanted to use the facilities, but no, one just got out and stared...please, believe me I know it wasn't my ravishing presence.......had to walk around them, giving a wide berth, and luckily had my phone in the back pocket, so calmly took it out and proceeded to call the SIL.......who wasn't answering, of course. But they didn't know that. The key was in the backpack, so I had to root for it, which is why I now carry it on my person....showed no fear, even tho I thought I'd drop a load then and there.
All I could think of is..........hey, If I'm going down, I"m takin as many as you arseholes with me as I can..........but I was being looked out for, found the key, and got the hell outta there.

2) NEVER hike on a holiday weekend, or any weekend if you want peace in the winter in Arizona. Last Saturday, took a difficult trail figuring I'd be alone.......but between the never ending horses, dogs and familys I either got run over or kept at a snails pace.

3) Hiking chases away the demons.......for a time.

So thank you, friends, for your great advice. Ive taken it all to heart, (well most of it) and if anything should happen, it won't be because I've been careless or stupid.

Cultural differences... In the US, when we get a nose bleed, we tear off a small piece of tissue or gauze and put it in the nostril. Only a small bit protrudes. In Japan, they roll up the corner of a tissue and stick that in their nose, and walk around with the rest of the tissue hanging out. Frankly, I think it's a fashion statement.

And in the Netherlands you sit down with your head between your knees and pinch the bony part of your nose.

I can remember one time when we were in Belgium in a swimming pool I got kicked in the nose and had a nosebleed. They put what looked like a tampon in my nose (including a pull string). I think a tissue hanging out of your nose is better than a small OB.

Amazon still hasn't opened their Dutch store. They said they would open in October. I want/need a new Kindle and I don't want to pay €40 extra for shipping from the US. Or they should let people in European countries that doesn't have Amazon stores order Kindles from European Amazon stores.

Your English seems very good, why don't you just acquire and read books in English instead ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

Today's rant:

Amazon still hasn't opened their Dutch store. They said they would open in October. I want/need a new Kindle and I don't want to pay €40 extra for shipping from the US. Or they should let people in European countries that doesn't have Amazon stores order Kindles from European Amazon stores.

Your English seems very good, why don't you just acquire and read books in English instead ?

I do, it's been years since I've read a Dutch book. However, if Amazon opens their Dutch store a K4 with simple cover costs €40 less (assuming the Dutch prices are the same as the German prices) than when I order it in the US. And since €40 buys me a couple of books I've been waiting with ordering a new Kindle for the Dutch store to open. However, I am starting to get impatient and I'm getting tempted to order in the US.

But Dutch is strange, full of aa's and ae's and oe's and all that stuff ...
Besides it's more fun to read books in the language they were written, unless you plan to read Dutch authors in which case a Dutch Amazon would make sense

PS: Why don't you try the Kobo store, it seems they are localized in their offer of books.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rumpelteazer

I do, it's been years since I've read a Dutch book. However, if Amazon opens their Dutch store a K4 with simple cover costs €40 less (assuming the Dutch prices are the same as the German prices) than when I order it in the US. And since €40 buys me a couple of books I've been waiting with ordering a new Kindle for the Dutch store to open. However, I am starting to get impatient and I'm getting tempted to order in the US.

But Dutch is strange, full of aa's and ae's and oe's and all that stuff ...
Besides it's more fun to read books in the language they were written, unless you plan to read Dutch authors in which case a Dutch Amazon would make sense

PS: Why don't you try the Kobo store, it seems they are localized in their offer of books.

I read Dutch books in Dutch, however, I don't really like Dutch book. The last books in Dutch I read were the Belgian detective series Van In by Pieter Aspe.

I recently heard somewhere that authors such as Nicci French release the Dutch translation of their new novel at the same time or even before the original English version is released. This because the Dutch will buy the English version if it's released before the Dutch version and causing less sales of for their Dutch publisher as a result.

Just a note and an update to all those who gave some great advice on hiking the White Tanks.......
I've taken all your advice, except one...

Wonderful news, DG! I'm happy that you can now explore Inner Space! Here's another small suggestion... Pick up a disposable space blanket (about $3) a small pocket-sized flashlight ( but get a good one,) and a Bic lighter. Spend 30 minutes on the net and learn how to make an emergency fire even in the rain, and practice once or twice. Personally, I also carry a small Fire Steel or a Flint and Striker as I don't trust a lighter to work when it gets wet. These take up almost no room and weigh just a few ounces.

Between these three, should you have to spend the night in the woods, you will be warm and dry, and have enough light to read for a few hours before you go to sleep! Enjoy!

Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!)

Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle

Quote:

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

Just a note and an update to all those who gave some great advice on hiking the White Tanks.......

I've taken all your advice, except one.

I wear my knife on my belt, keep my key ( only take the car key when going) on my person, have the whistle around my neck (but under the shirt) have a flashlight, walkin stick and water. Cell phone is always charged. Besides, it takes great pics........

Have graduated from the easy trails, to the few difficult ones. Have not actually completed one of those yet, but have gained the confidence that I will eventually.

What have I learned?

1) Late afternoon hikes not such a good idea. While beautiful, its kinda scary coming back to the car after sunset, and watching 4 dirtbags in a crappy beat up car pass the parking, screech to a stop, and back up slowly and parking next to you.....even tho ther are plenty of unoccumpied spaces available. I figured maybe they just wanted to use the facilities, but no, one just got out and stared...please, believe me I know it wasn't my ravishing presence.......had to walk around them, giving a wide berth, and luckily had my phone in the back pocket, so calmly took it out and proceeded to call the SIL.......who wasn't answering, of course. But they didn't know that. The key was in the backpack, so I had to root for it, which is why I now carry it on my person....showed no fear, even tho I thought I'd drop a load then and there.
All I could think of is..........hey, If I'm going down, I"m takin as many as you arseholes with me as I can..........but I was being looked out for, found the key, and got the hell outta there.

2) NEVER hike on a holiday weekend, or any weekend if you want peace in the winter in Arizona. Last Saturday, took a difficult trail figuring I'd be alone.......but between the never ending horses, dogs and familys I either got run over or kept at a snails pace.

3) Hiking chases away the demons.......for a time.

So thank you, friends, for your great advice. Ive taken it all to heart, (well most of it) and if anything should happen, it won't be because I've been careless or stupid.

good for you! (but you're still not telling anyone are you)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Wonderful news, DG! I'm happy that you can now explore Inner Space! Here's another small suggestion... Pick up a disposable space blanket (about $3) a small pocket-sized flashlight ( but get a good one,) and a Bic lighter. Spend 30 minutes on the net and learn how to make an emergency fire even in the rain, and practice once or twice. Personally, I also carry a small Fire Steel or a Flint and Striker as I don't trust a lighter to work when it gets wet. These take up almost no room and weigh just a few ounces.

Between these three, should you have to spend the night in the woods, you will be warm and dry, and have enough light to read for a few hours before you go to sleep! Enjoy!

Stitchawl

even a garbage bag works. when I do the "hug-a-tree" presentation for kids, that is what I teach

even a garbage bag works. when I do the "hug-a-tree" presentation for kids, that is what I teach

Holy mindreader, batwoman.......how did you guess? No. Because I don't want to. Which is probably why I get so upset when I see others on a trail......"hey you kids! Get off my lawn!"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Wonderful news, DG! I'm happy that you can now explore Inner Space! Here's another small suggestion... Pick up a disposable space blanket (about $3) a small pocket-sized flashlight ( but get a good one,) and a Bic lighter. Spend 30 minutes on the net and learn how to make an emergency fire even in the rain, and practice once or twice. Personally, I also carry a small Fire Steel or a Flint and Striker as I don't trust a lighter to work when it gets wet. These take up almost no room and weigh just a few ounces.

Between these three, should you have to spend the night in the woods, you will be warm and dry, and have enough light to read for a few hours before you go to sleep! Enjoy!

More than I'll need, I'm sure, but handy. And Stitchawl? The WOODS? I'm in the desert mountains. Just some scrub ironwoods and a few other oversized bushes........however, your advice is sound and those three items go in my daypack next.....thank you.

Are you ready for this? The flashlight is not so much for finding your way as it is for psychological comfort when stranded... although it will help you if you need to walk in the dark. Personally, when I get stuck in a strange area after dark, I just hole up and wait until morning. I figure it's better than twisting an ankle trying to find my way out.

And Stitchawl? The WOODS? I'm in the desert mountains. Just some scrub ironwoods and a few other oversized bushes.......[/QUOTE]

We used to hike in the Angles National Forest and in the Sierras. Probably the same sort of 'high desert.' Scrub brush, creosote bushes (which REALLY burn hot and long!) the occasional Ponderosa, Sugar, or Jeffery Pine standing alone (three of their cones will burn for about 30 minutes, hot enough to boil water,) etc. Just be sure to stay out of the dry stream beds at night time... Ya never know what was going on, weather-wise, 50 miles upstream.